The Wedding Atlas · United Kingdom · Yorkshire
Getting Married in Yorkshire
Dales, moors, abbeys and country houses in England's largest county. Yorkshire is England's largest county and has a varied wedding landscape: the limestone dales of the north and west, the heather moorland of the centre and east, the spa town of Harrogate, the country houses of the Vale of York and the ruined abbeys of the river valleys.
Part of the Yorkshire destination guide.
- Best months
- June, July and September
Find your area
Yorkshire on the map
Choose an area to see the venues we list there. Every name is a plain link to its listing.
Yorkshire
The 6 venues we list in Yorkshire. Choose an area on the map, or tap a pin to open a venue.
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Our selection
Where we would start
Three of the 6 Yorkshire venues we list, chosen by our editors to show the range.
Allerton Castle
Allerton Castle is a Grade I listed Gothic Revival house near Knaresborough, taken for exclusive use at no extra cost, with a Ballroom for up to 120 and 25 acres of gardens.
Birdsall House
A Georgian family home in the Yorkshire Wolds, given over in its entirety to one couple, with a speakeasy below stairs for the evening.
Grantley Hall
A Grade II* listed country house near Ripon where the ceremony, the wedding breakfast and the late-night party all stay on the estate.
People who work here
The owners, wedding directors, planners, photographers and chefs behind weddings in Yorkshire.
Victoria WalkerDirector, Linda Abrahams & Co
LinaWedding photographer and co-founder, Lina + Tom Photography
TomWedding photographer, filmmaker and co-founder, Lina + Tom Photography
Abigail LucyFounder, creative director, planner and designer, Abigail Lucy Luxury Weddings
Adrian NealPhotographer, The Studio Without Walls
Charlotte EliseFounder and planner, Charlotte Elise Weddings & Events
Tai AdedayoFounder and wedding photographer, Lovexposed Photography
Hannah PerryFounder, Conifer Events
DenisCo-founder, Denee Motion
Helen EriksenOwner and Creative Director, Helen Eriksen Wedding & Event Design
JustinaFilmmaker, HD Moments
Melinda GillFounder, wedding planner and designer, Luxus Events
Fizz and Groove DJDJ and founder, Fizz and Groove
Jane RiddellWedding planner, Planned for Perfection
Stuart WoodWedding photographer, Stuart Wood Photography
Josephine ParkhillFounder and designer, Josephine Scott London
Tessa WilliamsFounder, creative director and lead planner, A Touch of Nevaeh
Aimee DunneFounder, Aimee Dunne
MelanieLead planner, Cranberry Blue
Dale AlexanderFounder and Creative Director, Dale Alexander Events
Charlotte Ricard-QuesadaFounder and Creative Director, La Fête Bespoke Event Planning
Gustav FoucheHairstylist and Style Director, Gustav Fouche
Maria JordanLead singer, HARD CANDi Showband
Jacqueline KennedyFounder and event planner, Jacqueline Kennedy Luxury Weddings and Events Limited
Tracey FirmanFounder, Lusso Events
Naureen KhanFounder and wedding planner, Naureen Khan Events
Mark NiemierkoFounder, Niemierko
Roberta BurcheriFounder, Roberta Burcheri Events
RulaFounder and event planner, Rula Parties
Julia DowlingFounder and Managing Director, Snapdragon | London
A Wedding in Yorkshire
Dales, moors, abbeys and country houses in England's largest county
Local food is part of a Yorkshire wedding. Dales beef and lamb, game, dairy, Whitby crab, Yorkshire Blue cheese and locally brewed ales can all appear on a menu, and the market towns of the Dales support caterers who buy from nearby farms.
Harrogate is the base for many weddings in the county. It is a Georgian spa town with hotels and restaurants, and country house venues lie close to it in every direction. It suits couples who want a town's facilities close to a rural venue.
Choosing a setting
Choosing a wedding setting in Yorkshire
Country House Estate
Yorkshire has many country houses built on the wealth of the wool trade, coal and Victorian industry. The better wedding estates combine a Georgian or Victorian house with formal gardens and estate grounds, and exclusive hire for the weekend is standard.
Converted Stone Barn
The Dales barn is a limestone or gritstone field barn with thick walls and small windows, built for farming. Converted examples in Wharfedale and Wensleydale keep their stone and oak beams, with underfloor heating, and work in summer and winter.
Abbey and Priory Ruin
Fountains Abbey, Rievaulx Abbey and Whitby Abbey are monastic ruins that can be used for events. English Heritage and the National Trust accept exclusive evening hire for receptions, with the ceremony held elsewhere.
Georgian Hall
Formal Georgian halls with symmetrical facades, sash windows and rooms built for entertaining, a legacy of Harrogate's spa wealth and the farming prosperity of the Vale of York. Their reception rooms suit large wedding groups.
Moorland and Dale Lodge
Converted Victorian shooting lodges above the dale floor or on the moorland edge, hired exclusively, with estate grounds and the moors as the backdrop. They are private and remote, and the heather season in autumn suits them.
Photo: Birdsall HouseThe season
Weather for outdoor weddings
Very good for outdoor celebrations in June, July and September, and good in May and August, in the lowlands. The dales and moors are cooler and wetter.
How typical weather and daylight suit an outdoor wedding celebration in each month. Every month can be wonderful for a wedding, especially indoors; this guide is about the weather you are likely to meet outdoors.
The word describes typical weather and daylight for an outdoor ceremony and photographs in that month. It says nothing about whether to marry then. Seasonal guidance is based on historical weather averages. Conditions vary by location and year, so couples planning outdoor celebrations should always consider an alternative indoor setting.
Outdoor ceremonies around York, Harrogate and Ripon work from May to September, with June, July and September the best months. From October to April the days are short and the weather cooler, and indoor settings work well. The dales and moors are cooler and wetter than the Vale of York.
Sunset is around 9.40pm in mid June and 7.22pm in mid September. October can be attractive for autumn celebrations, although earlier sunsets make ceremony and photography timings particularly important: the sun sets at about 6.08pm in mid October and about 4.39pm at the end of the month, after the clocks go back. In mid December it is about 3.42pm.
Getting there
How guests arrive
York has a mainline station with East Coast services from London King's Cross, and Harrogate is reached by rail from Leeds. The Dales are reached by road, so guests need a car or pre-arranged taxi for the last stretch. Private coaches from Leeds Bradford Airport or Leeds station are the usual way to move a group to the Dales and Moors.
Leeds Bradford (LBA). The nearest airport for most Yorkshire venues, with direct services from London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Dublin and several other European cities. It serves Harrogate, the Dales and most country house venues.
Manchester (MAN). A larger airport with transatlantic, Middle Eastern and European services, reached by road via the M62 and M1. It suits international guests.
Newcastle (NCL). Reached by the A1 and A19, and suited to the North Yorkshire Moors, Whitby and the eastern Dales, and to guests from the North East.
Where guests stay
Under one roof, or nearby
Wedding accommodation in Yorkshire centres on Georgian and Victorian country house hotels in the Vale of York and the Dales, with spa hotels among them.
Boutique hotels in the Vale of York. Restored Georgian manor houses in the Vale of York, such as those near Richmond, run as boutique hotels and have wedding barns.
Country house hotels near Harrogate
Regency and Georgian houses in parkland near Harrogate and Ripon run as hotels, with lodges, spas and event spaces, and take weddings in a purpose-built barn or pavilion.
Photo: Grantley HallFood and drink
Eating and drinking in Yorkshire
Yorkshire has a strong regional food identity: baking, the Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding, and an artisan food and drink scene in the Dales.
Yorkshire pudding and the Sunday roast
The Yorkshire pudding, a baked batter pudding, was originally served before the meat course. Yorkshire beef from the Dales and Moors farms goes with it.
Wensleydale cheese
A crumbly, mild cheese made in the Wensleydale valley, where Cistercian monks at Jervaulx Abbey made cheese from the twelfth century. The creamery at Hawes is the last producer in the valley, and the cheese has protected status when made there. Wensleydale with fruit cake is the traditional pairing.
Masham breweries
The town of Masham, in the North Yorkshire Dales, is home to two independent breweries, one established in 1827 and the other founded in 1992. Their ales appear at Yorkshire wedding bars.
Good to know
Before you book
Leeds Bradford is the regional airport
Leeds Bradford has direct services from London and several European cities and is the nearest airport for venues in West Yorkshire, the Dales and the Vale of York. Manchester Airport has longer-haul routes and is a longer road journey.
The Dales and the Moors differ
Yorkshire has two upland landscapes: the Dales in the west, with limestone, dry-stone walls and sheep country, and the North Yorkshire Moors in the north-east, a wide heather plateau. The two are a long drive apart, so guests need to know which one the venue is in.
Questions couples ask
Before you decide
Which towns make a good base for a Yorkshire wedding weekend?
Harrogate has the most hotels and restaurants and Georgian architecture. Skipton suits weddings in the Dales. York gives guests a city to explore, with the Minster, the Shambles and its museums in a walkable centre. Helmsley and Masham suit smaller groups who want a market town.
Can Fountains Abbey or Rievaulx Abbey be hired for a reception?
Yes, through English Heritage. Both accept applications for exclusive evening hire. The ceremony takes place elsewhere, usually at a licensed venue nearby, and the dinner or drinks reception is held in the abbey grounds. Applications need early planning.
How does the heather season affect wedding photographs?
From late July to mid-September the North Yorkshire Moors and the open Dales moorland turn purple as the heather blooms. Several moorland and lodge venues use the open moor for photographs during this period.
When is the best time of year for a Yorkshire wedding?
June has the longest days for outdoor ceremonies on high ground in the dales, and in September the heather moorland is at its colour. Winter weddings in converted stone barns, with candlelight and log fires, are an option from November to February.
What food and drink can we expect at a Yorkshire wedding?
Yorkshire has a strong regional food identity: baking, the Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding, and an artisan food and drink scene in the Dales. Dales beef and lamb, game, dairy, Whitby crab, Yorkshire Blue cheese and locally brewed ales can all appear on a menu. The town of Masham, in the North Yorkshire Dales, is home to two independent breweries, and their ales appear at Yorkshire wedding bars.
Meet Aura
A planner who has read every venue in Yorkshire
Tell Aura the setting, the season and the size of your day. She shortlists the venues and professionals that fit, and explains why.
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This guide draws on the venues' own published details, official sources and the knowledge of our editors. Entry and legal information can change, so confirm it with the authority that will marry you before you book.